It is a strange mix of themes ranging from the American West to the ballads and jigs of Celtic ancestors that somehow seems to make sense in the musical world Jack Hardy has created. And it is a separate world to which the listener is transported; a timeless place inhabited by tinkers and cowboys, saints and sinners, elves, virgins and crones. From his extensive travels and reading he has forged an endearing non-academic approach to literature, one that is more at home in the pub than in the classroom. "He clearly seems to enjoy making his listeners think. He may dare his audience to figure out what he is saying, but he also credits them with the intelligence to do so" (Tom Nelligan, Dirty Linen, 1998).
In Europe, where Hardy has toured extensively for over 20 years, he is accepted as an ambassador for American music. In an Italian encyclopedia of rock Jack has a larger entry than many prominent rock stars.
"Nothing adventuresome is created in a vacuum," Jack says, "you get people together and the creative sparks fly." The weekly songwriters workshop which he has hosted for many years taught and nurtured countless songwriters, not the least of which are Suzanne Vega, John Gorka, Shawn Colvin, Richard Shindell and David Massengill. The Fast Folk Musical Magazine, which he founded and edited, released the first recordings of most of the artists currently headlining folk festivals. This collection of over 100 compilation albums has now been taken over by the Smithsonian.
Gregarious and outgoing when talking about his songs and songwriting in general, Jack fiercely guards the privacy of his personal life. Jack Hardy was born in Indiana, his father a musician, his mother a painter. He grew up in New York, Colorado, and Connecticut, studied opera and literature in college.
In 1998, Prime CD reissued his first ten albums in a box set as well as his eleventh album The Passing. In 1996, BCN Records released a tribute album The Songs of Jack Hardy: Of the White Goddess, a collection of his Celtic ballads (all sung by women). In 1997, Jack was the recipient of The Kate Wolf Memorial Award, given yearly to "an artist who makes a difference through his music" by the World Folk Music Association. In 2000, Prime CD has released Jack's twelfth album Omens.
Omens was recorded live to 24 track analog in two days, using the vintage recording equipment of Prime CD's Theater 99 recording studio in New York City, with no overdubs. The fourteen songs range from the uptempo Celtic "Sile na gCioch" where a tinker finds a dress on the side of the road and gives it to a young lass, to the majestic "West of Dingle" where a woman faces a choice between her lover and her fiddle; from the biting barrage of juxtaposed media images of "I Ought to Know" to the romantic ballad "Only One Sky" and back to the uptempo humorous Clancy Brother-ish "The Boney Bailiff." This album takes you on quite a musical voyage with some of Jack's best poetic imagery, but it is the sweeping beautiful melodies that carry these songs directly into your memory. The players include Jack's current touring band: Tom Duval on electric guitar and harmony (also heard on Jack's albums The Hunter and Civil Wars), Mike Laureanno on Hofner bass and harmony, Dave Anthony on Drums (also heard on Jack's album The Passing), and Kate MacLeod on fiddle. The album also features a buried bonus track containing 19 minutes of Suzanne Vega interviewing Jack on the subject of songwriting. Hardy's 16th album, Rye Grass, arrived on Great Divide in 2009. Jack Hardy passed away on March 11, 2011.
source and more infos: http://www.jackhardy.com/
In the Building of the Boat
Jack Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Perhaps a fatal flaw
And it catches in my throat
To think that I foresaw
It's an age-old story told
But I'll tell it once again
Of a knot that slipped its hold
And a story has to end
In the building of the boat
Perhaps a nail was bent
In the crossbeams set afloat
And by this an omen meant
In the naming of the trees
Perhaps this one too young
Made it weaken in the knees
And made it come undone
In the building of the boat
The tools lay side by side
Joining tongue and groove
So smoothly it did glide
In the carving of the bow
In the likeness of a bird
As if it could sing now
Everything I'd heard
In the building of the boat
There's always chance unseen
Of the white squalls angry shoals
Dark faces of the deep
Curse the builder of this boat
Curse him all to hell
But for an old man's salty hope
For I know he built it well
In the building of the boat
Perhaps a fatal flaw
Jack Hardy's song "In the Building of the Boat" is a poetic and introspective reflection on the process of creation and the inevitability of imperfection. The song is metaphorically exploring the notion that despite our best efforts and intentions, there can always be a fatal flaw in the construction of our creations, and ultimately that our creations are subject to the same impermanence that we are.
The repetition of the phrase "In the building of the boat" throughout the song sets a meditative tone, inviting the listener to contemplate the process of constructing something from scratch. The first verse hints at the possibility of a fatal flaw that may have been overlooked in the building of the boat, which the singer can't help but dwell upon, knowing that some things are out of our control. The second verse introduces the idea of omens and symbolism, suggesting that even the most minor mistake or oversight can have larger consequences. The third verse describes the craftsmanship and skill that went into the boat's construction, emphasizing the beauty and care that was put into it. The fourth verse acknowledges the unknown dangers of the sea and how they can't always be anticipated or prepared for. Finally, the fifth verse returns to the theme of fatal flaws, but the singer expresses a sense of hope and faith in the builder of the boat despite its imperfections.
Overall, "In the Building of the Boat" is a thought-provoking and poignant exploration of the creative process and the inevitability of failure. The song encourages us to embrace our imperfections and strive to create something beautiful anyway, knowing that even the most carefully constructed boats may eventually sink.
Line by Line Meaning
In the building of the boat
During the process of constructing the boat
Perhaps a fatal flaw
There may have been a critical mistake made
And it catches in my throat
The thought of this mistake is difficult to bear
To think that I foresaw
I had a sense that something might go wrong
It's an age-old story told
This experience has been encountered before
But I'll tell it once again
I will recount it now
Of a knot that slipped its hold
A knot that failed to secure
And a story has to end
The outcome was not favorable
Perhaps a nail was bent
It's possible a nail was not straight
In the crossbeams set afloat
In the horizontal support suspended on the water
And by this an omen meant
This could be a sign of what is to come
In the naming of the trees
When the trees were identified and selected
Perhaps this one too young
It's possible that an immature tree was used
Made it weaken in the knees
This made the structure less sturdy
And made it come undone
Causing it to fall apart
The tools lay side by side
The instruments were kept accessible and within reach
Joining tongue and groove
Constructing the planks with precision to interlock neatly together
So smoothly it did glide
The surfaces fit together with ease and moved without resistance
In the carving of the bow
While shaping the front of the boat
In the likeness of a bird
To create a resemblance to a bird's form
As if it could sing now
As though it had a voice to herald its completion
There's always chance unseen
There's always the possibility of unpredictable events
Of the white squalls angry shoals
Of rough waves and weather patterns
Dark faces of the deep
The ominous depths of the sea
Curse the builder of this boat
Blame the person who constructed the vessel
Curse him all to hell
Cast them into damnation
But for an old man's salty hope
Contradicting that sentiment, a wise and experienced man offers optimism
For I know he built it well
Assuring the doubters that the boat was crafted with excellence
Contributed by Joshua J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.